Kingsfall house of gold

@Jynx kind of in between Kingsfall and the Fjord (north of Turtleback Lake) <3 sorry for the short post, wanted to get this up! :)
early morning ・ sunny ☼ 26 ° F, -4 ° C (snow on ground from previous snowfall)

RE: After wandering through the woods, you stumble across a pumpkin patch.

The air was crisp and clung to his alabaster fur as he weaved through the trees. As winter approached his fur began to thicken and lighten, giving him a much larger appearance. Since the little dragon clan departed from Hearthwood their situation did not improve — but it did not worsen, either. The family was adjusting; it would take time, but it was certainly possible. Lekalta had left, as well, which left yet another scar on Lachesis’ already heavily damaged heart. A frown creased his lips at the thought but he quickly dismissed it with a loud, irritated snort. There was no use pining after those who clearly did not care about him. Bastet had left, as well, which did not come as a surprise. XIX was done with giving second chances; trust always led to disappointment.

A bitter, frustrated storm cloud followed him as he continued forward, his oversized paws pushing through the dusting of snow on the ground. He was not paying attention to where he was going — he just wanted to walk until his legs grew tired. He skirted the lowlands, avoiding the barren landscape and the whitestone wolves. While he had enjoyed their company XIX was not in the mood for entertaining. He needed to clear his thoughts and rid himself of the negativity that plagued him.

As the sun peaked through the trees a glimpse of orange caught his attention, his brows knitting together as his pace slowed. Orange was a common colour above him; the leaves changed to a marvellous array of orange hues as the seasons changed and the sky often adopted an orange glow as the sun made it's rotation. However, he had never seen anything so orange and round. Curiosity consumed him, driving the Stark forward through the forest as the trees began to clear. Before him was a cluster of… pumpkins. What were pumpkins doing in the middle of Kingsfall? Dumbfounded, he meandered about the patch, his nose practically dragging across the pumpkins as he inspected them.

(This post was last modified: Oct 31, 2016, 07:09 AM by Lachesis.)

stick with those who stick with you

Matching RE's for Jynx and Lach! <3

Some time had passed since her unfortunate mishap in the Ghastly Woods. It was strange how fate played out, seeing to it that she re-injured that very same ankle in the same careless fashion she had the first time. But unlike the first time, she had not been lost in a midst of fog. She had simply been over eager to see two of her good friends. A changed woman since last year, Jynx had been much harder on herself this time around. Often she spent days and nights angry at herself for her own foolishness. Others she worried constantly about the welfare of the pack, despite the reassurances from her extended family. Then there were times she fell into a spell of depression, fretting over her own future. She was powerless to know what it held in store for her, and that was what bothered the russet agouti woman the most. But as restless as she had been, she adhered to the advice of Gent and Emrys, allowing her body plenty of time to rest and heal. She took it each day at a time, never daring to over push her limits. The slightest ache in her ankle joint would send her back to her private den to rest.

Her cautious approach to her recovery seemed to be paying off. While she was by no means back in top form to resume her taxing duties as a full time hunter, her leg did feel strong enough that she could manage some light exercise. The healers in the pack had reminded her daily, that exercise was just as crucial a role as rest, if she were to overcome this obstacle. The last thing she wanted was a permanent limp, or to injure herself yet a third time in the future. Her body was still young, and so it seemed she had been given a merciful second chance. She had left the Notch early, slipping away silently so as not to wake the others while she snuck away for her round of exercise and stretching. Her instincts to explore and to try and check on the native prey animals that still lingered at this time of year, were strong. Even if she was powerless at the moment to take advantage of even a sick animal. Her mind had drifted to far off corners during her morning stroll, and she ironically found herself pointed back towards Kingsfall.

She wondered, what had happened to the Hearthwood River wolves? Was the pack still thriving? How had they fared over the last year? Jynx wasn't terribly concerned with their fate, but she would not turn a deaf ear to any news either. Unlike the River wolves and Gent, she held no ill feelings or distrust to their pack. She was simply indifferent, if not a little bitter, for having never felt truly accepted among them. They just...weren't the right fit. Everyone had been caught up in their own affairs, unlike at the Notch, where every wolf was connected in a seamless, tightly woven circle. Taking the time to move at a deliberately slow pace, her bright yellow eyes looked up to greet the rising orange sphere of the sun. Judging by the clear skies overhead, and how brightly the sun glittered against the freshly fallen snow, it would be a pleasant, but crisp day. As her eyes lowered back to ground level, yet another plump, round orb filled her vision. And then another, and another. Brows raising up quizzically, she was surprised to find a pumpkin patch set out before her. This was most unusual. But hey, if these things were edible and free for the taking, Jynx would not turn away the opportunity. Reaching down to part her jaws over a wooden, curled stem, she paused at the flash of white fur not far away. Emrys? Her eyes squinted. No...this was someone else entirely. Someone she had known before, in the past.  

sorry for the short post <3 wanting to get my replies up quickly for this RE! :D

Food, no matter what form, was not to be wasted. His little ones weren’t so little anymore, but they were still growing — they, along with the other mouths to feed back in Hearthwood, could use any sort of food. The seeds could be used medicinally, as well, to take the bite out of herbs that weren’t pleasant tasting. His chartreuse eyes lit up as he marvelled over the amount of pumpkins he had stumbled upon; however, his expression quickly fell. He was not going to be able to transport more than one — maybe two — at a time. He would either have to make a few trips or seek help from one of his packmates. They wouldn’t need many, two or three — possibly four.

His frown only deepened as the scent of another pulled him away from his thoughts, his movements paused as he pinpointed their location. On the other side of the patch was a heap of tawny fur accompanied by a pair of golden peepers. Strange, the wolf looked familiar… but he could not quite put his paw on it. Seeing wolves adorned in an agouti pelt was not uncommon in Relic Lore — perhaps the wolf was one he had seen in passing, or merely looked like someone he used to know. He shrugged, to himself, dismissing the thought. It did not matter. His tongue clucked against the roof of his mouth as he sought after something to break the silence between them, as it appeared that the female was aware of his presence as well.

Alas, nothing come. So XIX allowed the silence to continue as he sniffed another pumpkin and contemplated which one to pluck first. 

stick with those who stick with you

Head poised low between her shoulders, onyx nose hovering over a cluster of orange pumpkins, she continued to regard the pale stranger carefully. A single swish of her tail. A deliberate blink of those piercing yellow eyes. Then she noticed it. The distinct yellow-green color of his own eyes. Realization struck her like a fresh slap to the cheek. Jynx had a good memory, as it had served her well in the past. But who could forget such a remarkable feature? She knew of only one wolf in the lore who fit the very description before her.

With a shift of her paws, she angled her path directly towards the male she once shared a pack with, trying to make her approach as nonchalant as possible. When she stopped, she stood opposite of the few pumpkins that separated the space between them. A smile did not quite reach her lips, but her expression was far from cold. "Tough choice, eh?" She gestured with her muzzle down at the pumpkins at their feet, awaiting to be plucked up. Brows furrowing in contemplation, she pressed her nose against the leathery, orange skin of each, as if testing it's ripeness. "Hrmm...this one is close. I'd guess a few days, at least." She suggested, while setting a paw against the pumpkin furthest to her right. Jynx would not give away her awareness of his identity. She would let him make that move first. Besides, she was trying to act casual, while deep down, her nerves were set on high tension. This unexpected reunion could turn out for the better...or worse.

@Jynx <3

It was not until the yellow-eyed wolf spoke that Lachesis remembered the name attached to the voice. It had been quite some time since they had last crossed paths… too long, perhaps. As the river wolves moved from one forest to another they had lost some wolves on the way. Members had gotten lost or distracted along the way, drifting away from the group and being swallowed up by the Lore. This one, however, had made it to Hearthwood. She had been present during the claiming, offering her voice in the mix of wolves to stake their claim on the land. But, she had disappeared. Lachesis knew that her relationship with Karpos had been… interesting, to say the least—had that played a part in it? Or was there something else?

It did not matter. If the tawny female had truly wanted to return to Hearthwood, she would have. Another pack had captivated her attention and pulled her in; while he was bitter, he could not be angry with her. He had tried to look for her and bring her back to the river wolves, but he had turned up empty-handedpawed. Where, oh where, had she gone?

He nodded, softly, in response to the words that rolled off her tongue. “Might have to come back,” he agreed absently, his chartreuse gaze scanning over the pumpkins once more as he looked for another one to pluck away from the vines. His tail hung low as the ghost pushed a pumpkin with his nose as he searched for imperfections. “How have you been?” He asked suddenly in a low voice, his bright gaze not wavering from the orange squash before him. 

stick with those who stick with you

"Might have to come back," With that simple sentence, Jynx very nearly flinched away to put some space between them. But no...after a moment, her hammering heart had settled, and her head cleared. She had only misinterpreted his words, that was all. Even if he, or someone else from Hearthwood were to entice her with an invitation to return, she would have stood firm and refused. She was in sync with the wolves in her new pack, finally feeling like she had found true family among them. "I may settle on one of the smaller ones to bring back with me. Easier to carry." Choosing a manageable sized pumpkin would be a logical choice for the still recovering wolf. She needed to heed Emrys' words and not put too much strain on herself.

Her russet ears swept forward to catch his simple, short question. Ah, so he did remember her after all! Tearing her eyes away from one particularly bright orange, small pumpkin, she looked at Lachesis straight on for the first time. "I've been...well, for the most part. Some ups and downs." The less than joyous of events that she had been through over the past year, she would enlighten him on. But only if he asked. Already, her mind was made up that she would try to close the book on her sudden disappearance form HearthWood River, with no hard feelings, hopefully. "How is the pack? Thriving, I hope?" There. That should at least serve as a hint that she harbored nothing against them. If she had, she wouldn't have asked.

@Jynx <3

“Good idea,” he responded, ton soft as he snuffed at a smaller pumpkin to his left. Obviously she resided somewhere close if she, too, was thinking about bring some back with her. There were not many packs this far north—which one had the tawny girl pursued after Hearthwood? She did not smell of the Pines, so she had not sought refuge south of the tundra… His lips twisted into a soft frown as he tried to locate the scent embedded in her agouti fur. She smelt of… trees… Whitestone was out. His tail flicked absently, dismissing his thoughts as he refocused his attention on the younger wolf.

The frown was quickly replaced by a warm smile, his chartreuse gaze lingering on her russet features as she spoke. Truthfully, he was glad to hear that she had been doing well—he had always wondered where she had wandered off to. If she had survived. Hearthwood wasn’t the right place for her, just as Pitch Pine Trail had not been a home for the ghost after the demise of its leader. “That’s good to hear,” he answered after a short pause, his head tipping to the side slightly, “about the ups, not the downs.” Both he and the river wolves had suffered their fair share of ups and downs since the move north. Mostly downs. But they were recovering; recuperating. They would thrive once more; Lachesis would not allow the pack to fall apart. He couldn’t.

“Trying to thrive,” he sighed, ears falling backward slightly at his words. He did not offer any more insight—not yet. 

stick with those who stick with you

"Thank you." She replied simply, a smile trying to find it's way to her lips. "I feel like I've grown since we were last together." He should be able to tell, she hoped, that she meant in the sense of the mind, not the body. Studying him, Jynx could see no sign of physical change on Lachesis. With how much she had grown on the inside, she wondered too, what changes he had been through as well. Had he endured hardships, or had many blessings befallen him? He at least gave her a clue, in his last sentence.

Her features softened slightly with the pull of her lips in a slight frown. "What do you mean trying?" Carefully, she moved to circle round and sit on his other side, head lowered just enough so she may try to peer into his pear colored eyes. She was curious, obviously, but she was also trying to be tactful and not overstep into too personal territory. "What has happened while I was gone?" She felt it was only right to ask, however pushy she may or may not be coming off as. It at least would show that she still cared, to a point. Jynx wouldn't hold it against him if he refused her, as she had not revealed any information about her new life yet. Though she still felt that she owed him an explanation for why she vanished, and that, she would get to. 

“Good.” Despite her not returning to Hearthwood after her disappearance he did not hold anything against the tawny wolf. He, too, had left a pack behind before. While he would have liked to see @Jynx return to the river, he did not question it. Sometimes change as needed. A faint smile had worked its way onto his pale maw as he prodded one of the pumpkins with his paw, his chartreuse gaze wavering from her agouti frame.

Her question did not come as a surprise. Jynx had gotten to know the river wolves during her time with them; although she was no longer a part of the park, it was evident she still cared for them. The smile was quickly replaced with a deep frown, his ears flicking backward as he pushed a pumpkin over.  “A lot has happened,” he answered quickly, his tongue pressed to the back of his teeth as he allowed silence to settle over them briefly. He exhaled sharply, a sigh causing his shoulders to heave. “Maksim passed away before summer,” he started, his mouth suddenly dry. “And so did Naia.” The mother to his children. His frown only deepened, his toes curling into the dirt. “Kisla and I lead the pack now. We’re doing better, slowly but surely.” While he was not sure that the information he shared was too much he did not care. Jynx knew these wolves; she deserved to know. And he did not want her to find out through someone else—someone who did not matter. 

stick with those who stick with you

There is a deer that was killed by a lynx nearby. +10 Health